A Recovery Opportunity

I’ve come a long way.

Many things that used to drive me CRAZY…I am easily able to dismiss…I can even laugh at myself…at how I *USED* to be.

I no longer have to control everyone and everything.

But SOMEtimes….SOMEtimes people still drive me up the wall.

I realize that has to do with ME…a whole lot more than it has to do with THEM…but STILL.

I am so passionate about recovery…about…the fact that it is POSSIBLE…and DESIRABLE …and that…even tho we THINK there is no hope…

There most certainly is.
And happiness…can be found…no matter how unlikely that seems.


But…when people come seeking help…and they are told…to ‘Just put it in God’s hands’ or ‘If you really want to stop you’ll get to a meeting’ or even….’You cannot recover without your higher power’…or even that you DON’T need g.a. or meetings or a HigherPower…you can just go cold turkey if you want it bad enough…..or any one of a MILLION close minded things…it is just so frustrating to me.

Orrrr…here's a good one....that if I *CAN* do this without God, that I am not a REAL compulsive gambler. HA!

Not a REAL compulsive gambler…that’s so funny.

Telling me that I *HAVE* to do this or I *HAVE* to do that always have and always will put up walls for me.

Even if they’re RIGHT (and I don’t think that they are)…are they being HELPFUL??

How does anyone else know if I can just go cold turkey?

If I could’ve…I’m sure I would’ve long ago.

So I struggle with this…I struggle because…when it happens…it’s not just a matter of MY ego…it’s not about the fact that I DISAGREE….it’s that…there is someone else…someone suffering….and I fear that they are not getting the help that they came for…and I remember….I so remember how alone and desperate I felt…how devastated I was.

This struggle…I know…is just another part of my journey…another recovery ‘opportunity’…but…today…I struggle with it…

Perhaps there *IS* just one way to recovery….just one way for YOU to recover…..it may or may not be *MY* way….so….if you haven’t found your way just yet…don’t rule anything out….don’t let some close minded person turn you off to a path that might be precisely what you need…don’t let anyone else’s experience keep YOU from having a look at things yourself. Don’t be close minded yourself.

There is a lot to learn….but EVERYONE doesn’t have the answers that YOU need….there are people with YEARS of clean time that don’t have anything to offer me…I don’t want what they have.